Dehradun Reels under Dengue Fever as Total Number of Cases Reaches 2,100

The number of dengue cases in Dehradun is multiplying every day. 85 fresh cases of dengue were reported on Wednesday. A team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) visited government hospitals in the state and reviewed the treatment being provided to the dengue patients admitted there, as the disease is nearly assuming epidemic proportion in the city.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection which typically occurs during monsoon season in sub-tropical and tropical climate. Nicknamed as "break-bone fever", dengue is one of the world's leading illnesses and infects tens of millions across the globe annually. Dengue is transmitted mainly by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which thrives in densely-populated tropical climates and breed in stagnant pools of water.

The mosquitoes pick up the virus from infected humans — even asymptomatic ones — and pass it along to other people through bites.

Chief medical officer of Dehradun Dr SK Gupta told TOI that 36 new positive cases of dengue had been reported from the lab of Government Doon Hospital while 49 new cases had been reported from Gandhi Eye Hospital. Gupta added that the Raipur Government Hospital will start conducting the ELISA test from Thursday.

“Total six dengue deaths have been reported from Dehradun so far this year. Five among them are residents of Dehradun, while one was from Tehri. The total number of dengue cases in Dehradun is now 2,183,” said the Chief Medical Officer.

“The Aedes mosquito can lay about 1,200 eggs at a time and 400-500 larvae can emerge from these and hatch in a week’s time,” said Dr DP Joshi, district vector-borne diseases officer. Joshi also confirmed that a three-member team from the WHO had visited Gandhi Eye and Coronation hospital and inquired about tests and treatment being provided to the dengue patients there.

Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), on Saturday, started its fogging drive in an attempt to eliminate dengue from Dehradun. Ten wards were covered on the first day. Ten fogging machines covered each ward. Around 2,000 litres of medicine and diesel were used in the process.